Why not Zach Hamill?

It was a pretty normal day for me today, getting work done while always keeping an eye on various websites trying to keep up with the latest NHL news. I came upon a tweet from Bob McKenzie announcing the Boston Bruins had put Zach Hamill on waivers in order to send him back down to the AHL and the Provindence Bruins. I brushed it off as just another player on waivers for the time being. Throughout the rest of the day, Hamill's name kept popping up in my head but once again being busy with other things not much thought was put into it. It wasn't until about an hour ago, watching Sportscentre when once again I saw 'Bruins place Zach Hamill on waivers.' I finally decided to look more into this as I remembered many people being high on Hamill when he was drafted in 2007.

As I looked into Hamill more and more, nothing presented itself as earth shattering. Scouting report on The Hockey News descibes Hamill as a creative center with great vision and passing skills but lacks size and doesn't have the greatest skating ability. From that, I read some really good things but also some not so good things and skating always concerns me. The biggest thing that Hamill has going for him in his age. At 23 years old this kid still has alot of time to grow and mature into an NHLer who is capable to living up to his 9th overall selection in 2007.

Enter the Flames. A team that first and foremost lacks young depth and a team currently devestated by injuries who could desperately use a creative play-maker with vision. To me the Krys Kolanos experienment, even after only 2 games, is over. The position he was put in is too much for a 30 year old who hasn't played in the league since 2009 and isn't a very good skater. The Flames loose absolutely nothing except for a salary cap hit ($1,316,667 for the rest of the season) in taking a chance on Hamill.

I'm not saying Hamill is gonna come in here and light the world on fire but I have a whole lot more faith in him adding at least a bit of secondary scoring than I do Kolanos. Hamill is 23 years old and is on a Boston team where there is simply too much talent ahead of him on the depth chart for him to get a chance.

I have never seen the kid play and could be completely wrong about this but when you can have youth over declining veterans, I take youth everytime. In the Flames case, I think it's a no brainer. It could be a move to help them get into a playoff spot, but in my eyes it's a move more for down the road and to grow the Flames prospect pool. We'll see what noon ET brings us tomorrow.